[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 157 (2011), Part 6]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 8428]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                        OPPOSING THE PATRIOT ACT

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. BETTY McCOLLUM

                              of minnesota

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, May 31, 2011

  Ms. McCOLLUM. Mr. Speaker, I firmly believe the United States can 
secure our communities without sacrificing the rights and liberties 
that generations of Americans have fought so hard to protect. The 
PATRIOT Act fails this common sense test, which is why I have 
consistently opposed it and will vote against the extension of its 
provisions again today.
  The reauthorization of the USA PATRIOT Act under consideration by the 
House today extends provisions that give the Federal Government 
sweeping authority to spy on United States citizens. One such provision 
allows the government to obtain ``any tangible thing'' in its anti-
terrorism investigation--including library or bookstore records--
regardless of its relevance to the case. Another provision allows 
Federal law enforcement to obtain wiretaps without being required to 
identify the person, building, or business being spied upon to a secret 
court. During the Bush Administration, the Justice Department used this 
authority to illegally wiretap American citizens. Evidence of past 
abuses demand that the Patriot Act be reformed with stricter oversight 
and better safeguards to ensure security does not come at the cost of 
our Constitutional freedoms. Regretfully, the legislation on the floor 
today does not fix these problem provisions.
  The threat of terrorism is real and persistent. My first priority as 
a Member of Congress is to keep America safe. Be assured I will 
continue working with President Obama and my colleagues in Congress to 
ensure that all levels of law enforcement have the tools and 
flexibility they require.

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